Pablo Luna
Sleep is often overlooked by young adults as wasted time, but it is crucial to how you function during the day. A good night’s sleep will provide you the right amount of energy to maximize your ability to work and concentrate. Here are some tips to help you to get the best sleep possible.
Regularity And Schedule
When considering the factors that come into play in terms of getting a good night’s sleep, one of the first things that should be addressed is your daily schedule and routine. Your body functions like clockwork, operating with a certain amount of energy throughout the days. As you get towards your bedtime, your body begins to naturally feel tired. This is usually due to the energy expended during the day but is also contributed by the routine your body has become accustomed to.
When you operate on a schedule that structures your days to be relatively the same, your body will recognize automatically when it is time to start winding itself down and prepare for rest. This is why it is key to develop good routines and habits. Having a bedtime is beneficial for your body to signal when it is time to sleep, to ensure that you get the right amount that you need for the next day.
Decompressing at the End of the Day
Stress is one of the most common factors that contribute to your inability to sleep and thus reduce the quality of rest you are attaining. This can be attributed to various reasons, whether it is problems and situations that have arisen during the day or sudden passing thoughts that lead you to overthink while in bed. One way to address this is to take the time before you intend to sleep to practice habits that will allow you to destress and decompress. These can include low mental activities to help you relax. Some examples of this would be reading in bed, meditating, writing, or journaling.
You want to do things that are low stimulation to your senses. Watching TV, for example, would not classify under good bed routines because they will still stimulate your eyes with lights and images, even though the activity is not one that is physically demanding. Taking the time to prepare for bed is very helpful in falling asleep faster and getting a better, more restful sleep.
Your Environment
One key component that contributes to the sleep that you get at night is the surrounding environment. Similar to separating your stress with time to decompress, you want to separate your bedroom space from where you do work or play games. This reminds your body that your bed is for rest and relaxation instead of a place that causes stress or anxiety or space meant to excite you with games or television.
Keeping your spaces separated helps you reduce thoughts of work or school that can disrupt you from falling asleep. In addition to separation, there are also other ways experts at Sleep Authorities suggest can impact your sleep. Your physical bed and pillows can be big contributors to the type of sleep you get and ensure that you are comfortable and won’t wake up with aches and pains. Having sheets or a mattress that causes you to feel too warm can play a big role in why you aren’t able to sleep through the night. Ensuring that your bedroom is conducive to good sleep is one of the important tips that you should consider for quality rest.
Diet
Your sleep quality is impacted by many things that people might not even consider to be associated with their restful and restorative hours. Your diet, the food, and drinks you consume can greatly impact the type of sleep you get in terms of quality and quantity. It is important that you practice good and healthy eating habits as eating too close to when you want to call it an evening of consuming certain types of foods can have detrimental effects. Caffeine and sugars, for example, can make it so that you are unable to sleep and become more restless in the evenings.
Eating large meals right before bed can lead to indigestion and gas that also impedes your ability to sleep with different levels of discomfort. Conversely, eating too early or not eating enough can cause you to go to bed hungry, which then leads you to stay awake. It is important that you monitor and adjust your diet closely if you feel you are not getting a quality night of sleep.
Sleep is important to refresh your body and mind for the next day. If you don’t prioritize your rest, you are doing yourself a disservice and will actually be hurting yourself in the long run. Make sure to practice different measures that will encourage good sleep habits, and you will see the benefits of feeling rested and ready.
